>> good evening, everyone, welcome to aljazeera america, i'm john seigenthaler in york. on the verge, closer to civil war, government and forces exchange gunfire. and the government shuts down the abu grab prison, we'll tell you why. >> we refuse to bend, refuse to bend, refuse to yield to fear. >> boston strong remembering those killed and maimed in the

marathon bombings one year ago. five days in detroit. tonight, the young entrepreneurs helping to bring the city back, and researchers figuring out why grizzlies get fat but don't get sick. we begin tonight with the crisis in ukraine, a country that could be on the verge of civil war. more violence today as ukraine launched it's first official military operation in the crisis. shots rang out in the eastern ukraine and ukrainian troops moved in. ukraine's president called it anti-terrorism operation to stop the eastern regions from breaking away from the country. the president said that he opened for a peaceful end to the crisis. but the u.n. blames moscow for fueling the fire.

first, we go to kim on the ground from the airport. [ gunshot ] >> firing warning shots to crimeaian props at airfields. in the background, a woman shouts that two young people have been wounded and police forces hold their ground. outside of the airfield, pro russian mobs barricade the exit and say they won't let the military leave. casualties have been reported on both sides, though the ukrainian ministry denies that any of its troops have been injured. taking its toll, they're weary. >> our goal is to defend our city so we can sleep well. to defend our city from uninvited guests. >> we wanted to defend the city from the military.

we don't want war, we don't want fights, we want peace. >> just as things appeared to die down, more shots warn protesters not to approach. >> reporter: two men, one with a megaphone, are approaching the crimeaian forces. >> reporter: at least some of the troops have come from the north, where they are stationed outside of the city. there he said that the troops are fighting outsiders. >> in these territories, a large-scale anti-terrorist is ongoing. this operation is caught by unprecedented neighboring troops coming into ukraine. >> reporter: is and what appeared to be a show of strength, soldiers worked alongside of police forces, loading ammunition before taking off.

as night began to fall, pro russian protesters continued to watch on with the ukrainian troops back in control of the airfield. but the operation is far from over. they may have a long ways defeating unwarranted aggression from within. >> and our mike viqueira is at the white house. >> reporter: well, after the tough call between president obama and president putin, the white house is continuing to call for diplomacy and call for strength by the ukrainian government even as it provokes in the ukraine. there are no shortage of critics of the obama administration policy. john mccain was traveling in the former soviet republic in latvia today, and he ridiculed the administration's response

thus far. >> i think it's absolutely inexcusable that we have not provided the ukraine government with the ability to it defend themselves with defensive weapons. >> reporter: the white house said that it's expanding the victims and entities in russia targeted by sanctions. and they pointed to the fact that $1 billion in aid from the imf was sustained by the secretary of the treasury yesterday. and they continue to insist on the solutions for the ukraine. here's jay carney with possible new sanctions. >> russia understands that they have already incurred costs because of their it decision to throughout international law by occupying and attempting to an ex crimea, and those costs will

grow as russia continues to engage in provocative actions >> reporter: now, it appears white house is not ready to push sanctions in the broad sections of the reduction economy, the energy sector, and president obama has the power to do so already, and he's also consulted with g-7 leaders who say that they are onboard if russia were to continue it's prove case. meanwhile, talks are scheduled two days hence between four parties. the eu, the united states, russia and ukraine, to sit down and try to find a way out of the impasse. mike viqueira, aljazeera, white house. >> the u.n. says that torture for those who did not support secession. and a reporter for the kiev post, the first person to report from kiev. he said that free speech is underfire in crimea and eastern

ukraine. >> right now in eastern ukraine, even foreign journalists are harassed and sometimes attacked, but the situation for locally independent journalists from the ukraine, who tried to cover the situation independently and unbiased, and they are facing with the harassment and life threats on a daily basis unfortunately. just today, you know, i heard two stories. one from my colleagues, one from my colleague from german media, and he -- you know, he heard from the local sector, that there is kind of an arrest order for him and another story from my ukrainian colleague. he was threatened with violence from protesters, and they said to him, if you are ukrainian

journalist, and basically, we don't want you to be here. tensions are really high in that region right now, so it's some kind of threats, or even mild violence from protesters is also there. but it's not so serious as the militiamen, who will come after you basically with guns and demanding to stop you. we'll see the situation getting worse and insolve the in crimea, and we have this u.n. report on human rights in eastern ukraine, and in crimea, especially after the -- and it shows horrible stories of not only journalists,

but basically the general population attacked and harassed on a daily basis. >> maxim plans to continue his coverage in ukraine, despite the threats of violence. one year ago today, two bombs exploded at the finish line of the boston marathon. three people were killed and 300 more injured. and today there's a solemn ceremony it honor the them. >> reporter: a moment of silence with the pouring rain. a year after the bombings and the aftermath that stole four innocent lives and changed hundreds forever. jane richard, who lost her brother, martin in the blast, she was seriously jeered herself, she lost a leg, and she's out and about now, and like any other eight-year-old, she uses a prosthetic leg.

at the lines convention center, hundreds of-year-old and scores of others gathered for seeking some kind of closure. vice president joe biden praising survivors and the city for being boston strong. >> america will never ever, ever stand down. we are boston, we are america, we respond, we endure. we overcome, and we own the finish line. >> reporter: the governor of massachusetts, deval patrick, spoke movingly of the people of his state, who he said had so much pain in the last 12 months. >> it all adds up to an enduring example of the power of common cause and of working together and turning to each other when we could have easily turned on each other. >> reporter: patrick stood out among the politicians but it was

the survivors who said it best. >> the biggest lesson of all of the lessons that i have learned over this past year is that something in your life, if anyone's life can go horrifically, terribly wrong in a matter of seconds. yet it is up to us to make every single second count after, because believe me, they do. >> a year ago today, we chose to run towards smoke and danger. we chose to utilize our belts and purse straps to create tourniquets. we chose to hold the injured in our arms. we chose to offer our hearts to those in despair, and our treasures to those in need. we chose to love, and that has made all the difference. >> the next test on boston comes on monday. the city is looking for a regular fun marathon day like all of the others before last

year. like one that starts and ends, and has two winners, and nothing more than that. aljazeera, boston. >> as you can imagine, boston is on high alert. especially tonight, police have evacuated the area around the finish line, where an ub intended backpack was left behind. the bag was left on boylston street. the man put down the backpack and screamed boston strong. we'll have more on that coming up. so many more spectators found themselves packed with first responders a year ago. and it became a race to save lives and limbs. >> a long time boston resident, porn and raised here. i've been going to marathon since i was 24 years old. /showed up at forum, and as soon as i showed up, there was a rope tied off. and i was a little bummed out about that. i've been out there on that

patio every year since i was 24 years old. and you want to be back outside on that day. we were back at the bar and food and drinks, and more of our friends were showing up. and we were having a good time. i'm not sure what time it was, but we heard a boom. [ explosion ] and then we're looking outside, and all of a sudden, boom! the other one exploded right as i was looking at it, and i just saw a white flash, and glass shattered, and it moved us. it was so powerful. i went outside, saw a foot, saw limbs, bleeding everywhere, i was in a state of shock, but i knew i had to do something. i went back into the bar, and i grabbed a knife, and i started cutting tourniquet off of -- they may have had a photo booth in the corner, and it was

a light cloth, so i started cutting tourniquets, and i started cutting and cutting and cutting, i wasn't counting, and bringing them outside and handing them out to whoever took them. they needed something to stop the bleeding and i was able to do my part and help in any way i could. i felt like i did my part and the paramedics were on the scene, and if that happened to me, i hope somebody would help me. >> boston survivor, heather abbot, lost part of her leg in that attack, and she told me why she died to make the trip back to boston for this race. >> if i didn't go, i would feel as though i was telling myself i couldn't, and i wanted to be there. >> more of my interview with heather abbot at the half hour. the prosecutors are still building a case against the

surviving suspect. >> it was a year ago today that the bombing happened. and the only suspect, dzhokar tsarnaev, getting ready for what could be one of the most closely watched cases of the year. dzhokar tsarnaev, who was shot the night he was captured, is being held in the federal prison in massachusetts he's being held without bail since four days after his arrest from the marathon bombing. it led to the other suspect, his older brother, tamerlan tsarnaev. they believe that tamerlan tsarnaev shot and killed shawn, the police officer after the bombing, and he's charged with collier's death. when dzhokar tsarnaev was found in the boat, he had numerous wounds, one in the mouth and in the skull. months after, dzhokar tsarnaev was shackled in court, and pled

guilty to charges, including using a weapon of mass destruction, bombing and murder. the prosecutors are seeking the death penalty. the case includes his hospital bed confession. he expressed his recommitment to jihad and hoped that it would inspire others to engage in gee add. he suggested that dzhokar is mentally ill, and as lawyers have indicated, they will argue that under the domination and control of the older brother, tam lynn. >tamerlan. >> it's a case where you have the older man influencing the younger man. the older it brother is dead, he's 27 years old and the defense can create sympathy for

a defendant that was a teenager at the time. >> the biggest defense, having him plead guilty 23 if the government agrees not to seek the death penalty. >> as often said in death penalty cases, you have a primary objective, and that is to try to save the life of your client. in this case, you have 30 counts, federal counts against the young man, so it seems that your primary objective is going to be to try to save his life. >> reporter: but the case may not answer all of the questions about the bombing, whether this was a wider conspiracy, and if the bombing could have been prevented. the trial is set to start in november. the fbi was tipped off by the russians about the older front, tamerlan, and there's a new report on whether the fbi neglected information, and this is the report, and it says that generally, the fbi did act properly, even if the agency

should have more closely scrutinized the brother when he came back in russia in 2012. >> again, the trial is set to take place in november. >> in november. >> coming up, a murder investigation, who suspects using tracking devices, accused of raping and killing four women. and young entrepreneurs from detroit coming home and giving back to the city. and a third gender to recognize transgender people.

>> outrage in southern california tonight. two convicted criminals have been arrested for the murders of four women. police say they were monitored wearing ankle bracelets when the crimes were committed. >> reporter: the body of jureas was do had in march on a conveyer get. the police won't say where the bodies of the other three women were found. but last fall all three vanished from the streets of a rough santa ana neighborhood, frequented by prostitutes and drug dealers. santa ana police said that after

they learned that her body was found in anaheim, they contacted the police there. >> the break in the case came as a result of the homicide in the city of an heim. and that's when we were able to get together with the anaheim detectives. >> gps data led them to the two suspects, who were both wearing monitoring devices. >> the utilization of the suspects, that evidence led us to these individuals. >> reporter: the accused men are both transients and registered sex offenders. the gps tracking device is supposed to alert the police if they go outside of their area. they couldn't say how they raped and killed at least four women while they were supposed to be controlled electronically. but the suspects reportedly checked in with the authorities

earlier this most they have problems and limitations of trying to track the movements and the whereabouts of convicted criminals while they're back on the streets. while the gps data can tell them where the person is locked, but it can't tell them what the person is doing. >> gps is not a perfect technology. >> earlier this year, they admitted to widespread failures with gps monitoring. >> we had situations where a device will show that an individual is in one location, and they were at a location far from where they were supposed to be. >> tracking the mob wants of the men accused of killing her daughter did little go. >> i didn't know about the gps monitoring on them until earlier today. and i'm not fond of it now. it seems that it does not work. >> reporter: both men face

charges that include special circumstances, which means they could receive the death penalty if convicted. aljazeera, los angeles. >> we're spending five days in detroit this week as part of our continuing look at the issues and people affecting america's most interesting cities, and detroit's slow climb back from decades of economic decline. the city's population has been shrinking with companies big and small cutting staff. but detroit is starting to turn things around and attracting young talent back to the city. bisi has more on what's causing this change. >> reporter: john, detroit is attracting young entrepreneurs because it's affordable and not as competitive. the downtown core is thriving, and i'm talking about big businesses as well as young start ups. i had the opportunity to talk two two entrepreneurs, and both

grew up outside of detroit. and decided to start their ginses here and plant their roots. dan ward, i had the opportunity to talk to him, as i mentioned, and he shared with me the advantages of starting a business here in detroit. >> reporter: thdetroit. >> the interesting thing, detroit is blue collar, and that translates well to entrepreneurs. if you are an entrepreneur, you have to be really ready to work. >> so a community that was once dependent on the auto industry is seeing a shift. and it's unemployment was double the national average, and it was much worse several years, so progress is being made, and they started with four employees and today they have 50.

>> and a deal with the miss and firefighters, and can you tell us more about that. >> yeah, it's a huge, huge victory for police and fire retirees in the city. they have been negotiating for months with the emergency manager here in the city, and they were able to hammer out a deal. vote came down earlier today. and i can tell you certainly a sigh of relief for those retirees for the police and fire, but there are thousands of other city workers and retirees hoping to get a good deal just like that one. >> all right, bisi, thank you very much. and tomorrow on our series, five days in detroit, we'll look at how the city is battling blithe. the city is prepared to spend half a billion-dollar to tear down abandoned buildings. >> . coming up, a year later, i'll talk with boston bombing victim, heather abbot, who is recovering after losing part of her left leg, and prisons

closing. why iraq is shutting down the infamous abu grab prison.

>> welcome back to aljazeera america, i'm john seigenthaler in new york, and a lot more to cover? in half hour. including returning to the scene of the boston marathon victim who lost part of her leg, she tells us why she wants to go back. and sentence for tax everybodyiation, why will he be spending his free time in a home for the elderly. and studying bears. how giant grizzlies could help fight obesity. >> in tonight's top story. the crisis in ukraine, kiev launched a military operation today against pro russian separatists in the east. shots were fired and injuries were reported on both sides.

white house says moss cue is to blame for the protests. and the u.s. iser ising more sanctions against russia. it's the worst mass killing in the city of calgary, canada. five college students stabbed to death at a party earlier today. a sixth person suffered minor injuries. the student will be charged with first-degree murder and the police have not discussed a possible motive. a solemn ceremony today honoring the victims of the boston marathon bombing. a year ago today, two bombs exploded near the finish line. and vice president joe biden was among those paying tribute today. at the finish line of next week's race, a backpack was left. they have closed it off.

and john, witnesses describe the man yelling as he left at least one backpack, and he's now in custody. >> all right, michelle, thank you very much. 60 people lost limbs in the bombings, and heather abbot was one of them. and john tieren has her story. >> the second explosion went off and quickly, i didn't have a chance it say anything, and the next thing i knew, the explosion had catapulted me through the front door of the restaurant. i was in excruciating pain. my foot felt like it was on fire, and i was afraid to look at it. and people were just trampling and running by me. >> one woman same to her aid and a friend used a belt as a tourniquet. heather was carried to an ambulance, but nobody could go with her. even the friend who had been by her side. >> i knew i had to get to the hospital quickly and i told her

to let me go. >> the injuries to heather's left foot were devastating. >> the last time i saw my foot, it was all intact that morning when i put it inside of my shoes, and i never looked at it again. >> after three surgeries to try to save her foot, heather followed doctor's recommendations to amputate. >> they painted a bleak picture, and i didn't think that i would keep it. >> heather was fitted for her first prosthetic two months after. >> the first leg hurt and was bulk hey and it felt absolutely nothing like walking on two legs. it was on one of the darkest moments of this experience. i remember coming home and sitting in a corner and crying, and couldn't believe that this was what i had to live with for the rest of my life. >> you know when away first met,

i said it's a very realistic leg, you can't tell. >> now heather has four prosthetic legs. one for every day use, one for running, one for swimming and one with an arched foot with a he'll. >> four inches was my most popular heel side, and that's what i decided to go with. >> today heather looks like any other person walking down the street in her neighborhood. and she said maintaining a positive attitude is important. >> i don't want to disappoint those people. i want to show them that they have gone to good use, and i'm doing well. >> recently i had a chance to talk to heather about her experiences a year ago today. >> i went up to boston with a group of my friends, and we

typically go each year on marathon monday. i was struck by the second bomb. and shrapnel went through any left foot. >> tell us what happened when you went to the hospital? >> my heel was severely damaged and surgeons looked at it and recommended amputating it, but it was my choice. >> how did you make this choice? >> for me, it wasn't a difficult choice. i was told if i capped my leg, i might not be able to walk it ever again. i would be in chronic pain and would have dozens and dozens of surgeries. so the hospital sent amputees to visit me, and some of them were in similar situations and they had a choice and held onto a severely damaged leg. and most of them told me that they regretted it, and they wasted time by not just having it amputated initially, and it seemed like the best choice for

me. >> and you're also counseling people as well. can you tell us about that. >> yes, i became a peer councilor through the amputee coalition, and it involves going to visit people who are about to undergo an amputation or have recently undergone one, and talk to them kind of the same way that amputees came to talk to me when i was in the hospital. >> there has been so much talk about boston strong in the past year, and what does boston strong mean to you? >> it just makes me think of the city coming together. and the resilience of the survivors. >> and you plan to go back this year. tell us why. >> i've really been pretty adamant about not wanting the loss of my limb or what happened last year to prevent me from doing anything. and if i didn't go, i would feel as though i was telling myself i couldn't. >> well, heather, we appreciate

you sharing your story with us, and we wish you luck in the future future. we hope that you have a terrific day this marathon day. good luck. >> thank you, thank you very much. >> the man charged with killing three people if two jewish community centers in kansas is facing capital murder charges. 74-year-old gren fras could be put to death if convicted. he appeared in court today, and the judge held him on bond. he is accused of killing a man and his grandson at one site and a woman nearby. and the prosecutors could also file hate crime charges. now to nigeria, and a mass kidnapping. heavily armed men killed 100 students. >> well, the police presence has confirmed to aljazeera that the attack on this girl college happened late in the night to

the early hours tuesday morning. the premises of the college were stormed by armed men who ordered young ladies out of their beds, out of the dormitory into the park outside. and there was also violence in the village where the college is situated. and apparently buildings were burned and homes destroyed. so far, no armed group has claimed responsibility for the attack. but it looks like the group in the southern part of the country. they're against education that the young girls wer were receivg and they have been behind monies of attacks in the last years. and they are expected of being behind the attacks in the nigerian capital on monday where many people were killed at a bus station. we talked to some of the families caught up in the violence. >> mohammed and his family and friends are mourning the loss of

his son. he thinks he was killed in an attack, believed to have been planned by the armed group, boca har an. >> my child perished? in bomb blast, because my child and my neighbor's child, they walked together. they were together. >> mohammed and his family have searched for his son's body through all of the hospitals where the people injured in the blasts are being treated but they have not found their son. the government says it will pay the hospital bills of survivors, and do all it can to support their families. >> i wish to use this medium to convey our heartfelt sympathy to those who lost loved ones, and directed so the medical treatment can go to persons.

>> the government is assuring people that it will be improved. it's the most secure part of the country, and the government is spending $7 billion a year on security and fighting the armed group, baca haran. >> the notorious abu grab prison in iraq is now officially closed. the government said that the facility was shut down because of security concerns. abu grab has been the subject of many negative headlines in a prison breakout last year, and the facility was part of abuses following the 2003 iraqi invasion. it sparked worldwide outrage. jamie has covered iraq extensively and spent five years there as the bureau chief. she's in new york tonight.

and welcome. >> i'm sorry, john, i can't hear you. >> let me try again, can you hear me now? >> i'm sorry, really, i just can't hear you right now, i'm really sorry. >> we'll try to get her back, and thanks very much. there has been a landmark ruling from the supreme court in india. the decision affecting millions of transgender people in that country. we report from new delhi. >> india's transgender community has officially been recognized by the supreme court. >> i'm very pleased about the judgment. i'm overjoyed. the court laz ruled i'm an equal citizen of india. i'm a human being, and i won't be treated like that anymore. >> transgender adults, who identify with a different sex than their own, are recognized legally as a third sex. the civil rights of transgender

people are guaranteed, as are opportunities and equal employment. recognizing them is not a social or medical issue, but a human rights issue. for those fighting for the cause, it's how they're ultimately defined by society that matters. the problem was people in india were defined as male, female or others. >> a lot of transgenders and community members refused to be part of others. it could be a cow, a buffalo. but when you say transgender, it's an identity. >> people within the transgender community have struggled to find acceptance in society. and because of that, many are sex workers and are often discriminated against. those in the community are hoping that the official recognition will give them better access to healthcare. >> the next generation of finding themselves, they need to be educated and that's what we

want for them. we lost out and we want our children to do better, and not face the same problem. >> there are an estimated 3 million transgenders in india, and up to 3,000 of them live in new delhi. for decades, the transgender community has mapped out a future beyond singing and dancing and begging. this may be a step in the right direction, but in this largely conservative country, it may take longer. from south korea, reuters confirms that a passenger ship is sinking off of the coast. there are about 350 passengers onboard. 350 passengers, and the south korean coast guard said the ship has sent distress signals, and we'll have more later on. back to iraq. the closing of the notorious prison, abu ghraib, our senior

digital writer for aljazeera america, jamie, is back, and can you hear me now? >> yes, i can hear you have. >> talk about the closing of the prison, and why was it closed? >> one of the reasons it closed, quite simply, is because of the security situation. abu ghraib is located 9 miles out of baghdad between baghdad and anbar province, and it has been overtaken by al qaeda and militants, and they have controlled the city of fallujah since january and parts of hamadi. and because of that, the ministry described abu ghraib as being in a "hot" area. so they can't guarantee that the security of the situation surrounding the prison complex. last year, there was a mass breakout and shootout that resulted in over 50 people dying, and the justice ministry said that it continue guarantee

the security and the environment of the prison, they are be abandoning it. >> why wasn't it closed sooner? >> did you know, that's interesting, because once we had the scandal with the american soldiers in 2004, later on, i think a year later, president bush wanted to have it demolished, and they were talking about getting it torn down, but there were also talks about having it become some kind of a museum. but ultimately, they needed the space, and they needed to house the prisoners and detainees, and they cannot afford to destroy buildings when they're still trying to get a handle on the situation in their country. >> what are they doing with those people now? >> reporter: they're being transferred to other prisons in the country, and most of them are prisons for other parts of

baghdad in the south and the north. and they will be going there. >> can we talk about the history again? you were at that prison at the time of the scandal and talk about the impact that this prison had on relations been the united states and iraq. >> reporter: it was a terrible moment in the course of the invasion in april of 2003, less than a year after the iraqi population was trying to absorb what it was like to have the u.s. military prisons in the country. everyone was well aware of the u.s. military might. and sort of the push to win the hearts and minds on the ground really involved trying to reach out and understand and connect with the population, and show that this was not something that was targeted against muslims or crusaders, as was talked about at the time. and this was focused on trying to bring iraqis around to some

kind of identified society, to have this come out. abu ghraib was painted and in the eye of iraqis at in the decades of torture and abuse at the hands of saddam hussein, and to have it painted in this way, it completely debilitated relations between the iraqi population and the u.s. >> those midges will be in our brains for a long time. jamie, thank you. >> you're welcome, thank you. >> now to the ocean where a robotic submarine resumed it's diving today looking for a the plane. the search area was too deep. it could only complete six hours of its 16 hours of searching. they sent 3-d maps of the ocean floor where the plane is believed to have run out of fuel. >> there are just a few hours left to file your federal income

taxes, but according to the tax activist group, citizens for tax justice, 30 companies are paying no taxes at all. most of the biggest energy companies made no taxes in the last five years. one of the world's largest companies, general electric, received a tax refund from uncle sam. italy's prime minister learned his sentence for tax fraud today. he was sent to prison for four years, and that was reduced because of overcrowding. >> bellsconi is not the kind of politician that you would expect to end up in the retirement home. at the age of 77, he's the head of one of the biggest political parties. he has a girlfriend. and the center for the elderly

is where he'll have to spend his time. ed former prime minister has to spend at least four hours in a facility like this, like this center for the elderly in the heart of rome. but he said all along, he would like to spend his time motivated the elderly. but do the elderly want to be motivated by him? >> how can he help us? especially those of us who can't walk? what is he going to tell them? rise and walk? maybe st. peter could do that, not him. >> he's elderly too, but with a lot more money and possibilities. and some of us don't have anybody taking us to the center, and we're not even able to come here. >> italy's highest court up berlusconi's conviction for tax fraud last year.

that hasn't stopped him from remaining one of the most influential people in politics, leading the party. while the court says that he must stick to a curfew and only travel to rome once a week, he will be up no in the elections. while he'll be spending a lot of his time in an elderly home, berlusconi will show that he's far from retiring from the public scene. aljazeera, rome. >> coming up, jurassic excitement in the nation's capital. the decades long challenge to get the king of all dinosaurs to the smithsonian. >> this is the home to the cougars, washington state university. but the second most popular animal on campus might be the grizzly bears and obesity research. that's just ahead.

>> good evening, i'm meteorologist, kevin corvelle, last timelastcorvelle -- corriv. last night, we had wind and rain, and now we have clear conditions, but we're not over in terms of the weather. what's happening tonight, the temperatures will be rising behind the front. and we have a freeze effect for most of the southeast except for florida. temperatures down into the 20s

for many places, birmingham, 31°, and many places in northern alabama, from kentucky to tennessee, we're looking at 25 or less in that area. here across the northeast, we're looking at rain, and along the eastern seaboard, rain. but that rain is turning to snow for some people in new york. if you look out your windows after 10:00, we'll be seeing snow pushing through. we don't think that it's going to last long, and the accumulation is going to be in the morning. the news is coming up right after this.

>> grizzly bears may be able to offer some help in human healthcare. scientists are studying the bears, getting clues to ailments like obesity, and heart failure. >> the size, the claws, the voice. all make it very clear these are

no lab rats. >> they're definitely grizzly bears, and we try not to forget that. >> that's what makes these 570 to 670-pound bears research families. their physiology is more similar to ours than rodents. >> good girl. >> dr. lynn nelson has worked with these grizzlies for 12 years. some, born and raised here, have been trained from birth to play long, offering their legs while soing up honey water. >> so the blood pressure here, and we can take it on this leg. >> and they don't seem bothered by it? >> no. >> now nelson is teaming with dr. kevin corbett, with the pharmaceutical company, emjen. they have paid $850,000 to study

luna and the other bears, hoping for breakthroughs in obesity treatments and drugs. it's a rare challenging partnership between business and academia. with emjem studying at private universities. >> they have the cds, and we have the resources and we need to get the resources together. >> they're not testing new drugs on these animals, but are testing blood pressure and more physiological data, to figure out how grizzlies gain and lose all of that weight in ways that would sicken us, as the bears prepare for hibernation and wake up in the spring. >> they put on almost all fat and they do it in such a way that doesn't make them sick. one morning they wake up and decide they're not hungry anymore.

and so how do they do that. >> the hibernation physiology is very extreme in the metabolism that we don't do it. >> this is a four year study, but amgem is hoping that they can make products. >> i feel that nature has learned how to deal with almost all health problems, and we have to go out and find the right thing. >> beyond the obesity study, both researchers see the bears as partners, who can help find treatments for heart disease, kidney disease, diabetes and alzheimer's and more. pullman, washington. >> the old bones of tyrannosaurus rex are in the nation's capital. the natural history museum is making room for the 66 million-year-old skeleton. this t-rex was discovered in

montana in 1988, and it had been on display there for 25 years. they plan to mount it up right for the first time, and that exhibit opens in 2019. coming up, an apartment ran out of reach, and not just in the big cities. pricing the middle class out of a home. and could it be another housing bubble? plus, as baseball celebrates jackie robinson day, propelling the negro leagues into a formidable entity. that's tonight. here's the image that caught our eye. from melbourne, australia. a picture of a dad taking a pictures of his kids under the blood moon.

>> welcome to aljazeera america. i'm richelle carey and here are tonight's top stories. breaking news tonight from south korea where a passenger hip is sinking off of the southwest coast.

350 passengers onboard, and many of them students on a field trip. the south korean coast guard said that they have sent signals, and they are responding right now. ukraine could be on the brink of civil war. launching shots in the eastern part of the country. shots were fired at the airport. and both sides claim injuries. the white house blames moscow for the protests and is considering sanctionsnism. >> the white supremacist accused of killing three people is facing capital murder charges. he will be put to death if convicted, he's accused of killing a man and his grandson and a woman near by. the victims of the boston marathon bombings were honored today. two bombs exploded near the finish line, and 260 others were injured. the one surviving suspect is

scheduled to go on trial in november. i'm richelle carey and ahead, joie chen is up next, and you can get the latest on aljazeera.com. >> on "america tonight" - serial sex crimes in southern california. the suspects tracked down through ankle bracelets, but police say not before they killed again. >> i am to know about the gps monitoring on them. it seems that it does not work. >> also tonight - strangers in their homeland. >> kind of get nervous when i pass a police officer, because they come and look at me, see i'm a hispanic. >> they have proof of their rites to be